348 - Won't change gears | FerrariChat

348 Won't change gears

Discussion in '348/355' started by pnicholasen, Jul 20, 2024.

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  1. pnicholasen

    pnicholasen Formula 3

    Jan 14, 2011
    1,364
    South of Philly
    Full Name:
    Paul Nicholasen
    Weird symptoms: car won't go into gear with the engine running. If you turn off engine, you can go into reverse or 1st, push the clutch in, start the engine with no problem, let the clutch out and the clutch will bite at the same place as before, and the car will move normally...until you try to change gears again. Once again it's a no go. I changed gear oil to Redline Lightweight Shockproof, lubed my shift cables, and bled the clutch...to no avail. I'm a bit stumped. Once the engine is turned off and a gear selected and the engine restarted the clutch seems to perform normally. No leakage under the pumpkin. Ideas appreciated *
     
  2. andrejwolk1975

    andrejwolk1975 Karting

    Feb 28, 2020
    116
    Italy
    Full Name:
    Andrea M
    Worn clutch my first guess. Failing diaphragm or failed syncromesh.
     
  3. flash32

    flash32 F1 Veteran

    Aug 22, 2008
    6,890
    Central NJ
    Full Name:
    Dominick
    With car off put in gear ..then depress.clutch and try starting ..does car move forward ..if so your clutch is not disengaging

    Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk
     
  4. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 10, 2002
    28,955
    socal
    It's the clutch
     
    ernie likes this.
  5. pnicholasen

    pnicholasen Formula 3

    Jan 14, 2011
    1,364
    South of Philly
    Full Name:
    Paul Nicholasen
    I realize if FBB says it's the clutch, then I need a new clutch, but I don't understand if it's the clutch, why, once I have it in gear, if I push the clutch pedal in, it disengages like normal, and if I let the pedal out the car moves as normal...until I try to get the next gear which only will go in if the engine is stopped. To my ignorant mind, if the clutch was bad and wouldn't disengage, when I got it gear and start the engine, the car would move.
    As long as I'm being ignorant, how can you tell between a bad clutch vs a malfunctioning throw out assembly?
     
  6. andrejwolk1975

    andrejwolk1975 Karting

    Feb 28, 2020
    116
    Italy
    Full Name:
    Andrea M
    #6 andrejwolk1975, Jul 20, 2024
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2024
    If you want to check if the bearing is not working well, start the engine, and with an ear near the pumpkin, ask someone to depress the clutch pedal: if a metallic whining noise appears.....worn bearing. A bad flange of the throwout bearing normally leaks liquid if broken and causes a massive fluid leak.
    The bearing, once activated by the oedal, pushes the "fingers" of a diaphragm and disengages the clutch plate(s). Or there is something shot that wines or leaks;fluid from the small window under the pumpkin or the diaphragm of the clutch is not working well or the clutch disk is worn. Diaphragm and clutch disk(s) are normally sold as a new kit.
    Once disassembled the pumpkin you (or your mechanic) will easily find out.
    Did you try to give a throttle blip from standing still before trying to insert the first gear?
     
  7. m.stojanovic

    m.stojanovic F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 22, 2011
    3,215
    Serbia - Niš
    Full Name:
    Miroljub Stojanovic
    Perhaps the clutch does not fully disengage but the residual "bite" is not enough to move the car. Malfunctioning throw out assembly would either leak fluid or make noise, it would not cause problem like what you describe. The problem you are having could be due to a radial crack in the clutch diaphragm. If the diaphragm is good, you would feel a "peak" in the pressure you apply to the clutch pedal early in its travel and it wold then go down a bit easier over the rest of the travel. If the diaphragm is cracked, you usually do not have the "peak" but the clutch pedal gets somewhat heavier and heavier as you press it down.

    In any case, get the clutch out as it is not possible to tell, based on the symptoms you are having, what the actual problem is.
     
  8. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 10, 2002
    28,955
    socal
    It all starts with setup height. That's the clutch pack operational range. stuff effects the range...disc wear...broken fingers...failed T/O bearing. I can certainly be wrong. I'm just going by your post which isn't much data. I'm not there feeling what the car is doing. Sounds like You are just "at" the failure point.
     
  9. pnicholasen

    pnicholasen Formula 3

    Jan 14, 2011
    1,364
    South of Philly
    Full Name:
    Paul Nicholasen
    ernie likes this.
  10. 348Jeff

    348Jeff Formula 3

    Oct 25, 2011
    1,531
    UK
    Full Name:
    Jeff
    I was just about to post to say I had the exact same symptoms and it was broken fingers on the diaphragm spring.

    Initially, I was tempted to just replace the spring but ended up replacing the whole clutch, new flywheel and regreasing the flywheel (I'd previously replaced the slave with a Hills one). After pricing up new friction plates and the cost to recondition the flywheel and have it all balanced etc it seemed like the most sensible option.

    Whole story below - hope it helps.

    https://www.clubscuderia.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/348-diy-restoration.45388/page-137#post-848334
     
    ernie likes this.
  11. m.stojanovic

    m.stojanovic F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 22, 2011
    3,215
    Serbia - Niš
    Full Name:
    Miroljub Stojanovic
    You may be able to have the broken diaphragm spring locally replaced, see 348 clutch removal | Page 4 | FerrariChat.

    Ernie, did the new diaphragm spring you got in Long Beach work well?
     
  12. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
    Consultant

    Nov 29, 2001
    13,546
    San Carlos, CA
    Full Name:
    Mitchell Le
    Broken fingers like that would cause the pedal to feel differently.
    I also don't believe in rebuilding the pressure plate. Just buy a new clutch pack.
     
  13. AceMaster

    AceMaster Three Time F1 World Champ

    Feb 6, 2009
    34,776
    Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Mike
    I used the same place that Ernie did for a friend of mine who had a 348 at the time. He said his clutch felt better with the new spring than the old one (before the failure of course).
     

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